Embedded computer chassis systems generally include numerous rack-mounted computer cards connected to a backplane or a midplane. The computer cards may include payload cards and switch cards that communicate using a bus or switched fabric topology over the backplane. The payload cards and switch cards may be chosen so as to provide the computer chassis with the functionality and features desired by a user.
Each embedded computer chassis generally includes cooling fan trays mounted in the chassis to cool the computer cards. Periodically, these cooling fan trays need to be removed for maintenance and replacement without interrupting the operation of the embedded computer chassis.
For each region in an embedded computer chassis, prior methods of cooling use monolithic fan trays that contain any number of cooling fans. While there may be redundancy in the number of fans in the monolithic fan tray, there is no redundancy for the fan tray itself. If the monolithic fan tray is removed to service a disabled fan, the entire chassis may have to be shut down because without the fan tray, the computer cards will quickly overheat. A shutdown of a chassis is unacceptable from a quality of service standpoint.
The prior art is deficient in providing redundancy in the number of fan trays in a given cooling region in an embedded computer chassis. Accordingly, there is a significant need for an apparatus and method that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art outlined above.
Elements in the Figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the Figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms “first”, “second”, and the like herein, if any, are used inter alia for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. Moreover, the terms “front”, “back”, “top”, “bottom”, “over”, “under”, and the like in the Description and/or in the Claims, if any, are generally employed for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for comprehensively describing exclusive relative position. Any of the preceding terms so used may be interchanged under appropriate circumstances such that various embodiments of the invention described herein may be capable of operation in other configurations and/or orientations than those explicitly illustrated or otherwise described.